Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market but some people don’t even know what it is.

Discovered in 1832, creatine monohydrate gets its name from the Greek word for flesh, Kreas and is a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally and helps to supply energy to muscle. Creatine is a colorless, crystalline substance used in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, an important factor in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) , the source of energy for muscle contraction and many other functions in the body.

Creatine supplements are generally used to enhance athletic performance, particularly for high-intensity, short duration exercise or sports with alternating low and high intensity efforts such as football, hockey and soccer. Most creatine products are well absorbed and tolerated by the stomach.

Creatine is produced naturally in the human liver, pancreas, and kidneys but red meats and fish are also rich sources of it. Vegetarians may have lower levels of creatine but supplementation can compensate for it.

Athletes and people involved in intense physical activity, especially those limiting their intake of red meat, may have low muscle stores of creatine. Several muscle diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic circulatory are associated with lowered creatine levels.

Avoid excessive intake of caffeine to maximize results of creatine, as large amounts may counteract the benefits of creatine supplementation. Most people like to drink energy drinks, normally high in caffeine. So, what should you do?

Moderation is the secret word for a successful workout as caffeine in moderation should not interfere with the results of creatine supplements.

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It’s quite difficult to find useful and reliable articles about nutrition on the internet these days. With so much information posted everywhere, it’s easy to be confused about what is healthy and what is unhealthy.

Sports nutrition is one of the most controversial subjects because of its relation to weight loss. People should carefully choose what they eat before and after exercise because the lack of nutrients may affect the body.

A recent article shows a very interesting selection of post-workout meals. These meals are pretty standard for anyone on a regular exercise program and are affordable too.

The human system needs to get carbohydrates, protein and vitamins in order to produce energy and, as you know, energy is essential to exercise. Physical activity normally enhances appetite and a balanced meal after exercising is important to maximize results and stay healthy.

Smoothies, recovery drinks, protein-packed sandwiches, energy bars, power breakfast and protein-packed fish are some of the ideas. Nothing is too innovative, just simple meals. Keep in mind: small meals, fruits and lots of water may provide enough energy for your workout, no matter what time of day you exercise.

Eating a full meal within 30 to 45 minutes after finishing your workout can be the secret to maximize results and accomplish a successful workout routine. After exercise, muscles are most receptive to protein and carbohydrates, supporting muscle recovery and replenishing energy, the ideal plan for people trying to lose weight as well as trying to gain muscle.

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	Endurox R-4 Chocolate Recovery Drink - 4.63 lb.
	Endurox R-4 Recovery Drink Fruit Punch - 2.31 lb.
	Atkins Nutritionals Inc. Atkins Advantage Bars Peanut Butter Granola - 5 Bars

Lucky Blog continues to explain the importance of amino acids. Today, we feature L-Alanine.

L-Alanine is classified as a nonessential amino acid but may become essential if the body production isn’t satisfactory. Alanine is made in the body in a complex process involving the carbohydrate pyruvate and the breakdown of DNA.

It’s abundant in muscle and is one of the most important amino acids released by muscle, as a major source of energy. Alanine metabolism, like that of other amino acids, relies upon enzymes that contain vitamin B6.

Alanine may be useful for therapy for some epileptics and, because it contributes to thymus growth, it may also be therapeutic for immune-deficient patients.

Alanine can significantly help muscle growth, a perfect supplement for body builders. Altough, it does not need to be obtained directly through the diet, alanine is found in a wide variety of foods, particularly concentrated in meats. Good sources of alanine include: meat, seafood, dairy products, eggs and gelatin. Vegetarian sources are beans, nuts, seeds, soy, whey, brewer’s yeast, brown rice.

However, taking alanine supplements is the most effective way to obtain the required amounts of amino acids. Supplements are available in single or combination form and are often part of a complete multivitamin, specially the ones targeted for men and sports types.

It’s helpful to recognize the term “free form” when buying amino acids supplements. Free-form amino acids are recommended because they are quickly assimilated, unlike the crystalline form extracted from grain sources such as brow rice bran.

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Lucky Blog continues to reveal the mystery of amino acids. Today, we focus on the most famous amino acid: Taurine.

Taurine is a semi-essential amino acid-like compound and plays an important role in the metabolism of the human body. It’s found in heart muscle, white blood cells, central nervous system and skeletal muscle.

This amino acid has become popular because various energy drinks, such as Red Bull, contain taurine. Studies have shown that taurine supplementation may increase metabolism and, therefore, generate more energy.

Taurine is a component of bile, which is needed for digestion of fats and controls of cholesterol levels. In addition taurine supplements can also help lowering blood pressure and controlling the movement of minerals such as potassium, sodium and magnesium. It’s also an antioxidant and it can reinforce the immune system.

Food sources of taurine include eggs, dairy products, fish, and meats. It’s a building block of all other amino acids and it functions in the brain and heart to help stabilize cell membranes.

Finally, taurine plays in an important role in nitric oxide production, a gas that is present each time a muscle contract and blood vessels dilates. Consequently, taurine supplements are essential for body builders and people working out with focus on muscle gain.

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Lucky Blog continues to explain what amino acids can do for you. This week, we focus on another building block of life: L-Methionine.

Methionine’s main role includes the detoxification of tissues but it also helps break down fats, and assists with choline production. Cells in the liver and kidneys especially need this amino acid for regeneration.

Methionine helps maintain the health of the liver by removing poisons and giving protection. It also helps relieve arthritic-rheumatic disorders, strengthens hair follicles and protects against the destruction of delicate liver tissues.

Signs of deficiency include poor skin tone, hair loss, toxic waste buildup and excessive fat retained in the liver.

Methionine is important to start an essential chain of events to promote overall health. Together with cysteine, methionine is one of two sulfur-containing proteinogenic amino acids. Methionine is converted to S-adenosyl methionine, known as SAM, which serves as a methyl donor and improper conversion of methionine can lead to atherosclerosis.

Research has indicated that taking SAM on a regular basis may help fight depression, liver disease, and osteoarthritis. In addition, SAM is converted to S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), which is then converted to homocysteine.

Homocysteine is important to promote overall health because it can regenerate methionine, or to form cysteine. However, a high level of blood serum homocysteine is a powerful risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Methionine is an essential amino acid, not produced by the human body. High levels of methionine can be found in sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, fish and meats. Most fruits and vegetables contain very little of it; however, spinach, potatoes, and corn have significant amounts.

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Lucky Blog continues to explain the importance of amino acids. Today’s blog describes three essential amino acids: Valine, Leucine and Isoleucine.

Also know as Branched-Chain Amino Acids or simply BCAA, these three amino acids make up approximately 1/3 of skeletal muscle in the human body and play an important role in protein synthesis. The BCAAs stimulate the effect of insulin in different manners resulting in net protein growth.

Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine are considered essential amino acids because human beings cannot survive unless these amino acids are present in the diet. The human body does not produce any of these amino acids, but only a few people may experience deficiency of BCAAs.

Dairy products and red meat are the best sources of branched-chain amino acids, although they are present in all protein-containing foods, including whey protein and egg protein.

BCAA supplements are commonly used to enhance athletic performance. Several studies have shown that BCAA supplementation can improve endurance and strength training results. It can be useful to prevent muscle loss at high altitudes and prolonging endurance performance in the heat, a perfect product for marathon or triathlon runners.

In addition, BCAA supplements have been used to support kidney failure and liver cirrhosis and are currently used clinically to aid in the recovery of burn victims. Side effects have not been reported with the use of BCAAs.

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	ISS Research Complete BCAA Power - 120 Capsules
	MRM BCAA + G Ultimate Recovery Formula - 1000 Grams
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Lucky Blog continues to explain the importance of amino acids. This week we focus on L-Phenylalanine (LPA), one of the top selling amino acids on Lucky Vitamin.

L-Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, which performs as an antidepressant and pain reliever with many therapeutic roles. Besides helping to control depression, it helps improve memory and fight migraines.

Sometimes called DLPA, Phenylalanine is found naturally in the breast milk of mammals and manufactured for food and drink products, but is also sold as nutritional supplements.

Phenylalanine is not produced by the body but is necessary for human health. Thus, it needs to be obtained through the diet. Some foods rich in phenylalanine include beef, asparagus, chicken, eggs, fish, flax seed, dairy products, seafood, sesame seeds, soy milk and walnuts.

The thyroid gland requires amino acid to stimulate the production of the hormone thyroxin. This hormone contributes to healthy nerve function and mental equilibrium.

Phenylalanine is also credited for improving mental alertness, which would include the stimulation of learning and memory capacities, because it is used by the brain to make norepinephrine and dopamine, neurotransmitters that send signals between the nerve cells and brain.

Phenylalanine is highly concentrated in the human brain and plasma. Research has shown that it acts as strong pain relief for chronic pain such as headaches, arthritis, and sports injuries and has an antidepressive effect. Some of the most commons symptoms of Phenylalanine deficiency are apathy, confusion, decreased alertness, lack of energy, loss of muscle and memory troubles.

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	Source Naturals DL-Phenylalanine 750 mg. - 60 Tablets
	Twinlab Dl-Phenylalanine 500 mg. - 60 Capsules

Lucky Blog continues to explain the importance of amino acids. L-Tryptophan is the highlight of this week’s segment of Amino Acid of the Week.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which contributes to the production of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter found in several organs in the human body.

Serotonin can be converted to the neurohormone melatonin and is responsible for normal sleep because it reduces the electrical activity of the brain.

Several protein-based foods are good sources of tryptophan including eggs, red meat, poultry, fish, oats, milk, yogurt, cheese, mangoes, soybeans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, spirulina and peanuts.

Turkey also provides tryptophan, which some people believe causes drowsiness at Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, heavy consumption of turkey provides comparable amounts of tryptophan to most other meats. Drowsiness during holiday meals is most likely related to the consumption of foods along with turkey, in particular carbohydrates and alcohol.

Tryptophan supplements have been shown to stabilize moods and promote stable sleeping patterns. Tryptophan is also being studied for its effects on stress reduction, depression and alcoholism. An emotional stabilizer, it can help combat depression.

Furthermore, tryptophan helps our body use the B-Complex vitamin group more efficiently and promotes smoother digestive activity. Taking this amino acid will give you rich, red blood, healthy hair and wonderful skin.

On the other hand, an inadequate level of tryptophan may show itself in an inability to sleep, poor skin coloring, brittle fingernails, prematurely aging skin and indigestion.

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Lysine is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize, hence it must be ingested as lysine, lysine-containing proteins or supplements.

Lysine is needed for growth and to help maintain nitrogen balance in the body. It also works with other essential amino acids to maintain lean body mass.

The human nutritional requirement of lysine is 1g to 1.5g daily. Good sources of lysine are foods rich in protein including red meat, poultry and pork. Some types of cheese, particularly parmesan, eggs and certain fish, such as cod and sardines, also contain significant amounts of lysine.

Lysine is a necessary building block for all protein in the body. It plays a major role in building muscle protein; recovering from surgery or sports injuries; and the body’s production of hormones, enzymes, and antibodies.

Athletes involved in frequent vigorous exercise have increased need for essential amino acids, although most diets meet these increased needs. Lysine supplements are recommended for anyone involved in intense physical activity.

In addition, lysine supplementation provides additional benefits as it increases the absorption of calcium and may reduce its excretion. As a result, some researchers believe that lysine may support the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

A derivative of lysine is used in the production of elastin and collagen. Allysine is produced by the actions of lysine and is essential in the crosslink formation that stabilizes collagen and elastin.

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	NOW Foods Lysine Powder - 1 lb.

Lucky Blog continues to help our customers to understand a little bit more about vitamins, herbs and supplements in general.

If you have a question or want to learn about a specific supplement or product, Lucky Blog can be a useful tool. Just like we’ve had the vitamin of the week and herb of the week, Lucky Blog is ready for the next step: Amino Acids.

It’s quite difficult to understand all the amino acids for many reasons. Some people don’t understand amino acids because of their complicated names and functions. Some other people are confused by multiple uses and benefits of each amino acid.

Lucky Blog is starting a series of blogs to explain the functions of amino acids. Let’s begin with an overall view of the subject.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are needed to build the various proteins used in the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. Eleven of the twenty amino acids can be made by the body itself, while the other nine (called essential amino acids) must come from the diet or supplements.

The nine essential amino acids are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Another amino acid, histidine, is considered semi-essential because the body does not always require dietary sources of it. The nonessential amino acids are arginine, alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.

Foods of animal origin such as meat and poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, are the richest dietary sources of the essential amino acids. Consuming a proper mix of amino acids is important but it’s not necessary to consume them all at the same meal.

Check back on blog/luckyvitamin.com every Thursday for more information on amino acids.

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People are always looking for products to boost energy levels. Many energy drinks are popular and available everywhere. Energy shakes and pills can help to accomplish the “so called” spark of energy, much needed for many of us on a daily basis.

However, some people can’t get energy from any of those products, especially for intense cardio activity. It’s time to give Ribose supplements a try.

Ribose is an all-natural five-carbon sugar that helps facilitate the production of ATP - Adenosine Triphospate. ATP is a molecule that is the primary source of energy for all our cellular processes.

Several athletes rely on Ribose (sometimes called D-Ribose) as the main source of energy for their cells. Ribose is also present in RNA (ribonucleic acid) which is important in protein synthesis.

Ribose occurs naturally in all living cells. It is a simple sugar that begins the metabolic process for ATP production. Our bodies naturally make ribose, but production is not very quick in heart and muscle cells. These muscle cells use ribose to produce energy within the tissue.

Disease and exercise depletes energy levels within muscle tissues. Ribose supplements replenish the lack of energy in the system.

In addition, recent studies suggest that ribose can maintain a healthy heart and promote the relief of muscle cramping and soreness. Ribose may also increase cardiac efficiency and lower stress during exercise.

During intense training, athletes may combine ribose supplements with creatine, CoQ10 and L-Carnatine to enhance the benefits of it. Give it a shot. Ribose supplements provide the real energy boost for intense exercise activity.

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	Jarrow Formulas Chewable Co Q10 Plus Ribose 50 mg. - 60 Chewable Tablets

Beta-alanine is one of the best selling sport supplements these days and there’s a reason for the success.

Several studies have clinically proven that beta-alanine can enhance performance in endurance athletes.

But what is beta-alanine and how does it work?

Beta-alanine is the result of an interesting process. Carnosine enters the digestive system and is hydrolyzed into histidine and beta-alanine, which is then synthesized back into carnosine by skeletal muscle.

Beta-alanine is the precursor to the production of intra-muscular carnosine, which buffers hydrogen ions, leading to an increase in pH-necessary for the balance between production and elimination of lactic acid.

Athletes need a perfect balance between lactic acid production and lactic acid elimination. During exercise, equilibrium in the pH levels is important to prevent muscles from lactic acid imbalance and, consequently, overall slowing of movement, physical strength and intensity.

Balanced pH levels can produce longer periods of intense training at increase intensity without any drop in performance. In addition, carnosine levels significantly drop with age, reducing the production of beta-alanine.

Recent studies have clearly shown beta-alanine can be an effective supplement to boost endurance training and maximize working capacity. Athletes may see significant improvements in power, strength, endurance performance and aerobic metabolism.

Beta-alanine is the perfect supplement for triathletes or anyone challenging the human body to its limits.

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Glutamine is one of the most known amino acids. Very popular in gyms and among body-builders, some people would like to know a little more about the most abundant naturally occurring, non-essential amino acid in the human body.

Glutamine on one of the twenty amino acids and can become essential in states of illness or injury, requiring intake from food or supplements.

In addition, recent studies have showed its effectiveness in anabolic muscle growth from prolonged consumption.

Several foods are a rich source of glutamine such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and a multitude of vegetables. However, glutamine supplements provide a much higher amount and can help to maximize results for muscle growth.

Glutamine supplementation may help protein synthesis, a very important factor for anyone trying to gain muscle. Furthermore, it’s a primary source of fuel for enterocytes, the cells lining the inside of the small intestine and it regulates the acid-base balance in the kidney by producing ammonion.

Glutamine provides benefits to all athletes, not just weightlifters and bodybuilders. Regular supplementation can significantly improve resistance, extending endurance for cardio activities.

How much should you take? The answer depends on your workout. Suggested use of product may vary but keep this in mind: if you are now working out everyday, you most likely don’t need to take the suggested intake everyday.

What is the best form: powder or tablets? Once again, it depends on your workout. Powder is generally recommended for optimum results for extreme weightlifting. Tablets are more convenient to be carried and provide good results as well.

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It’s always difficult to choose a protein supplement. Most people don’t know what to look for when shopping for the best protein for muscle and strength.

In fact, the best protein is not the same for everyone. Several products have top-quality ingredients and can be a great addition to your diet.

However, many things should be considered prior deciding which protein supplement is the best for you.

The amount of protein depends on the amount of muscle you carry now, plus the amount you can expect to gain. A good way to start: get a body composition analysis, check if your gym offers this service.

Once you have your current lean bodyweight (lbs), look for a chart to figure out the amount of protein needed on a daily basis.

Remember, a diet rich in protein will help you gaining more muscle faster. Food charts are a helpful guide to inform how much protein each food can provide. The best dietary sources of protein include meats, eggs, grains, nuts and dairy products such as milk and cheese.

The human body is capable of absorbing protein from food and supplements, turning it into muscle. The faster your metabolism works, the more protein may be turned into muscle. This simple theory explains why trainers recommend a meal rich in protein thirty minutes after your workout is complete.

Diet and training are the essential elements to gain muscle mass. A protein supplement may help to optimize results and maintain a healthy and strong body.

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Gaining muscle and strength is the goal for many people working out. A few important factors can make a huge difference reaching the “perfect goal” for the majority of people: burn fat and gain muscle.

The road to happiness can be named after one word: protein.

Many people wonder how to calculate the amount of protein needed and from where to obtain the top quality protein. The amount of protein needed depends on the amount of muscle you have now plus the amount of muscle you would like to gain.

However, you should not rely on bodyweight because individuals of the same weight differ widely in body fat and lean weight.

Body fat does not require protein because the human system needs protein to maintain the current lean weight, plus the extra amount needed to grow muscle. So, here’s a quick guideline to help you determine how much protein you need.

First, find out your present total weight. That’s the easy part.

Second, you need to know your lean weight, which includes all the structure of your bones, nerves, tendons, skin and organs. You may get a body composition analysis which will determine your body fat and body weight. Many gyms offer it at no cost.

Lastly, you need to figure out the right protein/carb/fat for your diet. The ideal is to have four to six small meals with protein, cabs and fat, with higher amounts for breakfast and lunch, and lower amounts for afternoon snacks and dinner.

Once you have numbers, you can decide if you need a protein supplement or just need to eat a high protein diet to accomplish your goals.

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